>Step by step

Making a three-element percussion part in Thorn CM

1 Here’s Thorn CM’s PERC KickLoop preset. This uses the Arpeggiator for rhythmic pattern sequencing, so I draw a two-bar C3 note to trigger it. Bypassing the Arp reveals the source to be a Metal 03 oscillator wave-based sustained subbass, with a pitch envelope defining the noisy attack transient. 2 I reprogram the Arpeggiator to play a simpler kick pattern, and set Shuffle to 33% to add swing. The oscillator Phase Mode is set to Random, making the attack different for every hit; I use Gate to tighten things. For quieter hits, I lower velocity levels in the Arpeggiator, and set Amp Envelope to 100% Velocity sensitivity. 3 Next, hi-hats. I load another Thorn CM, and trigger it with a long C3 note. Turning the Arpeggiator on and lowering the Amp Envelope Sustain to 0 and Decay to around 10% creates a 16th-note pattern. I set Oscillator 1 to the Metal 04 waveshape and Oscillator 2 to Noisy 01, then turn on the Noise Oscillator. 4 It’s lacking high-frequency focus, so I load the Equalizer effect’s Hi Boost preset, then zero the Bass gain knob and attenuate the High band. The hat is too robotic, so I raise Amp envelope Velocity sensitivity to 100%, edit the Arpeggiator Velocity bars and Gate times, and set the Shuffle to 33% to lock it in with the kick. 5 For the snare, I take a new Thorn CM, trigger with a single C3 note, then draw in beats 2 and 4 in the Arpeggiator. A synth snare needs punchy attack, so I balance a pitched-down sine wave (via Osc 1) with the Noise oscillator, set a short Amp envelope and a short downward pitch envelope, then crank the volume. 6 A high-pass filter (with lots of Drive) and a short Plate Reverb complete the snare. The four-bar triggering note lets me add a fill at the end of four-bar sections using Thorn’s Glitch Sequencer. I set Speed to 1/4 and Mix to 60%, and draw a step in the Repeat lane at the end of the sequence.